During this year's Super Bowl, you'll see ads sponsored by beer companies,tobacco companies, and the Bush White House.(1) But you won't see thewinning ad in MoveOn.org Voter Fund's Bush in 30 Seconds ad contest. CBSrefuses to air it.(2)

Meanwhile, the White House and Congressional Republicans are on the verge ofsigning into law a deal which Senator John McCain (R-AZ) says iscustom-tailored for CBS and Fox,(3) allowing the two networks to grow muchbigger. CBS lobbied hard for this rule change; MoveOn.org members acrossthe country lobbied against it; and now our ad has been rejected while theWhite House ad will be played. It looks an awful lot like CBS is playingpolitics with the right to free speech.

Of course, this is bigger than just the MoveOn.org Voter Fund. People forthe Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) submitted an ad that was alsorejected.(4) But this isn't even a progressive-vs.-conservative issue. Theairwaves are publicly owned, so we have a fundamental right to hearviewpoints from across the ideological spectrum. That's why we need to letCBS know that this practice of arbitrarily turning down ads that may be"controversial" -- especially if they're controversial simply because theytake on the President -- just isn't right.

You also may want to let your local CBS affiliate know you're unhappy aboutthis decision.

Remember, a polite, friendly call will be most effective -- just explain to them why you believe CBS' decision hurts our democracy.

CBS will claim that the ad is too controversial to air. But the message ofthe ad is a simple statement of fact, supported by the President's ownfigures. Compared with 2002's White House ad which claimed that drug usersare supporting terrorism,(5) it hardly even registers.

CBS will also claim that this decision isn't an indication of politicalbias. But given the facts, that's hard to believe. CBS overwhelminglyfavored Republicans in its political giving, and the company spent millionscourting the White House to stop FCC reform.(6) According to awell-respected study, CBS News was second only to Fox in failing to correctcommon misconceptions about the Iraq war which benefited the BushAdministration -- for example, the idea that Saddam Hussein was involvedwith 9/11.(7)

This is not a partisan issue. It's critical that our media institutions befair and open to all speakers. CBS is setting a dangerous precedent, andunless we speak up, the pattern may continue. Please call on CBS to air adswhich address issues of public importance today.